Mode of constructing- the elastic spring-seats oe saddles



CHARLES E. KING, or MOUNT PLEASANT, OHIO.

MODE OF CONSTRUCTTNG THE ELASTIC SPRING-SEATSOF SADDIfES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,494, dated February 21, 1840.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. KING, of Mount Pleasant, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Method of lConstructing Saddles, so as to Render the Seats Elastic, and do hereby declare the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to apply my invention, in the construction of saddles, I will now proceed to describe the method in which it may be done.

Figure l represents the spring-lat side up; Fig. 2, edge view of ditto; Fig. 3, the screw T bolt and nut; Fig. 4, the T bolt with a leather covering; Fig. 5, parts of the webbing attached to the T bolts; Fig. 6, top

of leather case to cover the spring; Fig. 7, strap of ditto; Fig. 8, angle of the case; Fig. 9, perspective view of the whole saddle; Fig. l0, shows the taper of the bearing of the spring.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

I construct my saddles in any of the usual forms. But in order to give the seat the desired elasticity, I take a spring A about ten vinches long, measuring on a line drawn through the middle of its width. It should be full three-fourths of an inch wide; and fully Aone-eighth of an inch thick, the length however may be varied to suit the size of the tree; and the strength ,of the spring to suit the weight of the person forwwhom the saddle is intended. The ,eILdS We to be bent edgewise (from the middle) downward, to correspond with the lower side of the cantle, as it is formed to adapt it to the horses back, see Fig. 1. The dotted line a, a, a, is that on which its length is measured. It measures 9 inches across from point to point. The spring is to have a suitable bearing in the middle where it is attached to the Cantlez this bearing is about an inch wide at bottom, as shown Fig. l d, cl, and an inch and a half at top 5,' the width from bottom to top, Z CZ to 7) b is about an inch and a half. Through this bearing three strong screws are to pass, two at top, and one at bottom,

spring, is about half an inch thick at bot'- tom, from which it should taper likev a wedge, to an edgeat the top as at Fig. 10, from this bearing the spring is reduced to its proper thickness, leaving the shoulders and the side to go neXt to the cantle. The ends of the spring when fixed in its place, should be about an inch and a hallc from the cantle. Fig. 2 shows the edge of the spring, and the thickness of the bearing at the bottom edge. Through each end of the spring, and about three-eighths of an inch from the end there must be a hole about three-eighths of an inch diameterto receive the bolts, to which the webbing is attached seeA Fig. l a, a. Put the spring in its place, and guided by the holes in the ends, mark the cantle, directing the instrument in a line that will pass about two inches, outside and as much below the center of the pad: then remove the spring, and at each of these points bore a hole through the cantle, in the direction aforesaid. Enlarge it by boring with a suitable instrument, to the Size of about half an inch wire, and three quarters of an inch long in a perpendicluar direction. The yeX- act dimensions however are not material, the object being to let the. bolts pass freely through. l then ytake two bolts in the for-m of a T s ee Fig. 3. The top and stem may be about a quarter of an inch in diameter; the top or cross should be about as long as the webbing is wide, andthe stem or b ody about e inches long. ,On about one half of this `length a screw is to be cut, to receive a bar about ve-eighths of an inc-h square, and a quarter of an inch thick, the corners and .the vunder side, yor that next the head 0f .the belt to be rounded oft as shown at a, Fig. 3. Take for each bolt a piece of leather as wide as the webbing designed to be used, and live or siX inches long. Cut a hole of a suitable size in the middle of it, through which pass the stem c4 of the bolt Z) the leather doubled. To each bolt attach two pieces of webbing each about as long as the bars; inserting one end of each between the doubles of leather, and securing all together by five or siXrows of stitching: see Fig. 5.

a represents the Stem of the bolt, b, Z), Z9, the leather above described, c c the two pieces of webbing with their back ends inserted between the doubles of the leather, and their forward ends spread so as to part about an inch. The spring being Xed in its webbin cantle and spring push Ythem back until the tops of the T T come in contact with thercan- Vtle. Mark" the point to which each Vis car" ried back and then move them forward about halfl an inch, which isthe allowance I make for the probable stretching of the webbing: screw up the burs vto the spring, and cut off any surplus length of the points ofthe bolts. The two inner branches of the y are thenV to be carried forward to the hea of the tree; drawntight, and nailed fast; the two outer branches of the web are next to Vbe drawn evenly forward: and Vif it be a mans saddle, nail them just below the edges of the other branches. If it be a womans saddle nail immediately below 'the horns. y Y

Nail one edge of the straining linen on. the inside of the cantle about an inch aboveV the bolts. Draw the opposite edge forward moderately `tight to the head as usual and make it. fast. Draw or strain down `the sides till the webbing Vshall'be from three` quarters of an inch to one inch'from the inneredges of the bars, rat thermiddle oftheir length. The linen is to be nailed on the upper sidesofthe outer edges of the bars, observing not to nail, it immediately opposite to the corners formed by the attachment of the web tothe T T. Observe also, that it would be an advantage to strengthen theV cantle before the spring is put on, by covering it' both on the inner andfouter' side with leather or canvasglued on. The saddle is to be furnished in the usual way or according to the fancy of the workman.

The spring may be covered witha leather case B made in the following or anypother .'mode the workman may choose. Take four pieces of leather, eachf half an inch longer than half the length of the spring on its They should be about half an upper edge. w inch wide at one, end andtwoinches at the other. One corner of each broad end should be rounded off. Then take a strap an inch and eighth wide and twice,` as `long asjone` A of the pieces above described on its crooked to secure by Letters Patent is`n y edge, as seen in ,Fig 6, 6,0, b, c the edge just referred to. At aA suitable distance from Veach end of this strap fix abuckle with a loop Aon each side of it as shown in Fig. 7 a a. `Sewgth,Strap evenly between, the CrookedY edges' ofthe four pieces above -described two with the narrow ends together Vbeing put on each side of the strap. The

sewing should loe performednon a block uof the width of the stra-p, Vand `its upperside cut by one of the four pieces of leather, which are to formlthetop and bottom of the case.` In the middle of .this case and in the side intended forthe bottom or that which v goes next to the horses back, cut an inverted V (leaving the upper edge of the strap not cut). This cut must be wide enough to bend the case to an angle, to suitthe form of the spring. The edges of thiscut are then to be sewed together, as in Fig. `8 at a. The ends of the four pieces of leather (forming the top and bottom of the case) Vare not to be sewed together; that the casemay open atA each end like ahinge. When the case is thus prepared, ft the open or straight side tothe saddle, so as that the spring may `be covered. Apply a strap of leatherabout an inch wide across the middle of the'case and nail it fastv at each end. Nail a suitable'fstrap onthe saddle at each end of the case' and pass them through the buckles on Vthe ends of the case. i Y

VThe tension "of the webbing and the elasticity of the seat are regulated by turning the burs on the endshof the T bolts. v

What I claim as my invention and desire 

